GKN Aerospace partners with CFMS to advance aircraft manufacturing technologies
Above:
Video simulation of a landing gear.
© CFMS 2018
The collaboration between the two parties will help establish CFMS as a strategic research partner to GKN Aerospace, focusing specifically on the modelling and simulation of design, engineering and manufacturing processes in the newly-announced Global Technology Centre (GTC) in Bristol.
As part of its role in the GTC, it is expected that CFMS will also support the development of digital twins – digital replicas of physical products, processes or services to help reduce time inefficiencies and the high costs associated with traditional physical prototypes. The simulation data from these digital twins can then be used to inform key product and process decisions in the GTC.
Ian Risk, Chief Technology Officer at CFMS, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with such a renowned global aerospace company to help co-develop new technologies that will advance aircraft manufacturing and the aviation industry as a whole. Our Memorandum of Understanding with GKN Aerospace delivers on our strategy to form meaningful alliances with industry that will explore new ways of working and bolster our vision to transform design, engineering and manufacturing through advanced digital services.”
Paul Perera, Vice President of Technology, at GKN Aerospace, commented: “CFMS has significant experience and a proven track record in modelling and simulation for the aerospace industry, so we are looking forward to collaborating with the team at the new GTC to help produce the next generation of fuel-efficient aircraft. By bringing together our resources, alongside a number of other academic and industry partners, we hope to continue broadening the UK’s already significant engineering expertise.”
CFMS provides a trusted, neutral digital test-bed that enables high value manufacturing organisations like GKN Aerospace to develop their own digital engineering capabilities. The company also enables the adoption and acceleration of new technologies for modelling and simulation that support industrial digitalisation.
The new £32 million centre – which will act as a hub for world class innovative technology for the next generation of fuel-efficient aircraft – is expected to open in 2020 and will include collaborative space for research and development with universities, the UK’s CATAPULT network and GKN Aerospace’s UK supply chain. The GTC will focus on additive manufacturing (AM), advanced composites, assembly and industry 4.0 processes to enable the high rate production of aircraft structures.
